DE202014007579U1 - Luminaires and lighting systems to extend and improve the visual evaluation and evaluation of surfaces and excited fluorescence - Google Patents

Abstract

Luminaires and lighting systems that have radiation sources that can emit and combine different electromagnetic radiation in the visible, ultraviolet and / or infrared range, characterized in that, in addition to radiation sources, housings, controls, optical systems, cooling elements and primary power controls for the respective radiation sources that emit visible light each have at least one control and regulating unit that is able to regulate at least this in such a way that the light output covers the entire range from 0 to 100% and 100% to 0% of the possible or set maximum power, even in the dark, for human vision, continuously, without perceptible jumps in brightness, can regulate up or down.

Description

The invention relates to luminaires and luminaire systems which can emit one or more excitation radiation and white light in combination, which are used inter alia for optical and visual inspections of surfaces and excited fluorescence, for the detection of impurities or in the fluorescent magnetic particle inspection and penetration test.

The excitation radiation is already being used for various applications, such as fluorescence excitation, disinfection, curing, drying and / or bleaching.

The white light is used to generate brightness or the energy input in matter.

The visual evaluation of excited fluorescence is usually performed in the dark, at less than 20 lux illuminance in the environment, to exploit the higher contrast sensitivity in human visual perception in mesoptic vision (dusk vision) and scotopic vision (night vision) and technically to produce a higher contrast ratio between the inspected surface and the excited fluorescences.

The excitation radiation may be non-visible ultraviolet radiation, infrared radiation and / or blue-violet light or a combination of these, consisting of electromagnetic radiation or a combination of electromagnetic radiation in the range between 200 nm (nanometers) and 490 nm and / or 780 nm to 50 μm (micrometers) or a frequency of 1500 THz (terahertz) to 612 THz and / or 385 THz to 300 GHz (gigahertz).

The white light is the visible light for humans, ie an electromagnetic radiation or a combination of electromagnetic radiation between 380 and 780 nm or a frequency of 789 THz to 384 THz.

In order to generate the excitation radiation and the white light, it is possible to use discharge lamps, partly with filters or LEDs (semiconductor light-emitting diodes which can emit the respectively required radiations).

Constant current control based on electrical and electronic switching and control circuits is used for the efficient operation of LEDs. These controllers measure the operating current of the respective LED or LED circuit and keep it within narrow limits constant. Common LED controllers can generate this constant current from an AC and / or DC voltage. Some of the controllers have temperature-dependent controls that reduce the power of the LEDs and the controller, or shut them down completely to protect the LEDs and / or the controller from overheating. There are also controls that allow the connection of fans. These functions are integrated in the control loop of the controller.

The power controls for the radiation sources allow the adjustment or regulation (dimming) of the emitted radiation power. In the excitation radiation is called intensity, with visible light of illuminance. For LEDs, the power control is done by changing the operating current or the pulses of the LEDs is realized in a specific frequency and pulse width. The dimming or control range is between 1 and 100%.

The desired performance can be adjusted by the user, the processor or the manufacturer. The combination of the excitation radiation and the white light can be done by a variety of combination of different radiation and light sources, such as in DE 10 2004 043 295 B4 and EP 1 623 213 B1 are described. These luminaires switch the white light on and off in addition to the excitation radiation or independently of each other. There are also lights available that allow only a change between the excitation radiation and the white light, as in US 8,616,722 B2 described.

During these switching processes, the user perceives different images which, due to the physiology of human vision and the visual perception of the human being, can only be set to a limited extent in relation to each other. In fact, humans are not able to store individual images or moments and to compare them in retrospect.

Sudden, strong changes in brightness, such as those caused by the switching on and off of the white light to excitation radiation or switching between white light and excitation radiation, especially at low ambient brightness, are perceived as very unpleasant and can eyes, especially with frequent and relatively strongly perceived Brightness change, damage.

Depending on the brightness level and magnitude of the change, objectively physically small changes in brightness, due to the logarithmic proportionality of the objective irradiance to the subjective perception of brightness, will be perceived as very drastic. This, by the Stevens's power function and the Weber-Fechtner law described phenomenon is the reason why in cinema and theater performances the light in the lower brightness range is dimmed very slowly and more rapidly in the upper brightness range. Before the performance, the guests should not be put in the temporary total darkness and after the performance, the eyes of the guests should not be overused or even burned.

For work in the dark, for example, at an illuminance of less than 5 lux, the smallest possible switch-on value can be perceived very drastically with a tunability of the white light in the range between 1 and 100%, 5 and 100% or 10 and 100%. At 1,500 lux at 100%, 1% equals 15 lux, 5% is 75 lux and 10% is 150 lux. In an objective, physical view, this equates to a tripling, fivefold or even thirtyfold increase in the existing illuminance. Switching the white light on to these lowest possible values is particularly drastically perceived at a low ambient brightness, as described by the abovementioned laws. The lightning effect can already be perceived at low objective changes in brightness and increases exponentially the greater the difference in illuminance in relation to the respective brightness level.

The lights and lighting systems can be designed as hand lamps or furniture systems or permanently installed lights or lighting systems, which can be used for mobile and / or stationary use.

The luminaires and luminaire systems can consist of housings with integrated operating units or of a combination of housings, control cabinets and / or external operating units that house the required technology. The system can be powered by external or integrated DC and / or AC power sources.

Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to produce a device that extends the comparability and evaluability of excited fluorescence and surfaces for the visual perception of humans and allows a little strenuous use of white light in conjunction with an excitation radiation.

The goal is achieved by the device emits white light, which allows a dynamic, smooth transition between the different levels of illumination or brightness depending on the excitation radiation for the visual impression of the user. As a result, completely different visual impressions no longer occur, which the viewer perceives in the event of sudden sudden changes in the brightness level, but the transition from one visual impression to the other is perceived similarly to a film showing this transition.

One possibility of the technical implementation is the dimming of the white light or the cross-fading of the white light with the excitation radiation in the form that this takes place continuously for the visual perception of the user, without a sudden change in illuminance, especially in the lower illuminance range without a perceptible switch-on or switch-off effect ,

The invention will be described with reference to an embodiment.

1 shows the front view of the embodiment.

2 shows the rear view of the embodiment.

3 shows the section of the embodiment.

The embodiment is a possible handlamp system.

The handlamp system consists for example of a housing ( 1 ), which with a handle ( 2 ) and has lateral ventilation slots. The LEDs for the excitation radiation ( 22 ) as well as for the white light ( 24 ) are on a carrier board ( 26 ) soldered. The carrier boards ( 26 ) are on a heat sink ( 19 ) mounted with cooling fins, which in turn in the housing ( 1 ) is attached. On the back of the heat sink ( 19 ) is by means of spacers ( 20 ) a printed circuit board ( 21 ), which has holes.

In the case ( 1 ) is a fan ( 11 ) attached. Outside is on the case ( 1 ) opposite the fan ( 11 ) a ventilation grille with filter ( 10 ) assembled. The fan ( 11 ) sucks air through the ventilation grille ( 10 ) and blows a stream of air through the holes in the circuit board ( 21 ) on the cooling fins of the heat sink ( 19 ) passing through the ventilation slots in the housing ( 1 ) exit again. The air flow cools the system actively, which ensures a long life and high constancy of the excitation radiation and the white light. In front of or on the LED elements is an optical system, which consists of optics for the Excitation radiation ( 23 ), Optics for the white light ( 25 ), optical protection and filter glasses ( 6 ) consists. The optical system homogenizes, concentrates, directs, filters and distributes both the excitation radiation and the white light so that they can be provided in the desired quality.

The windscreen ( 5 ) is replaced by fasteners ( 7 ) with the heat sink ( 19 ) connected.

On the circuit board ( 21 ) are located next to the electrical and electronic control circuits and LED elements ( 17 ), via the optical fibers ( 8th ) Signal operating states and other information to the user. For example, the LED elements ( 17 ) signal to the user whether the excitation radiation and / or the white light are switched on. It can also be signaled whether, after switching on the excitation radiation or after switching off the white light, during use, a certain period has expired, such as the typical time that the eyes need to get used to the darkness, the so-called adaptation time.

On the handle ( 2 ) there is a strain relief ( 3 ) as well as a connecting cable ( 4 ), through which the power supply of the system takes place.

On the back of the case ( 1 ) there are seven controls:
It is a switch ( 12 ), which enables the activation and deactivation of the excitation radiation.

There are two buttons ( 13 ), which, when one of the two is activated, makes it possible to crossfade the excitation radiation with the white light. When the buttons are released, the system returns to the excitation radiation.

There are two buttons ( 14 ), which, when one of the two is activated, allows the white light to be added to the excitation wavelength. When the buttons are released, the white light is dimmed again.

It is a button ( 16 ), which ensures the long-term preservation of an operating condition by pressing a button ( 13 or 14 ) has been reached, even after releasing the corresponding button allows

It is a rotary knob ( 15 ) with switch, which makes it possible to set, change and redefine the illuminance of the white light.

The dimming of the white light and the excitation radiation takes place in such a way that the change of the brightness for the visual perception of the user takes place continuously, without noticeable jumps or abrupt change of the brightness level.

Via the supply line ( 4 ), it is possible to connect external controls, such as foot switches or foot controls, which have the same functions as the controls in the housing ( 1 ).

The power supply can be via the mains, electrical power supplies or portable energy sources, such as batteries or accumulators.

An advantage of using such systems for visual evaluation is a gentle drop in excitation radiation and white light. on the edge of the illuminated area.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• DE 102004043295 B4 [0010]
• EP 1623213 B1 [0010]
• US 8616722 B2 [0010]

Claims (6)

Luminaires and lighting systems having sources capable of emitting and combining different levels of visible, ultraviolet and / or infrared electromagnetic radiation, characterized in that, in addition to radiation sources, housings, controls, optical systems, cooling elements and primary power controls for the respective radiation sources that emit visible light, each have at least one control and regulating unit, which is able to control at least these in the way that the light output the entire range from 0 to 100% and 100% to 0% of the possible or set maximum power, even in the dark, for the human vision stepless, without noticeable jumps in brightness, up or down rules can. Luminaires and lighting systems according to claim 1, characterized in that they have in addition to the primary power controls over other control, regulation and / or monitoring units. Luminaires and lighting systems according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they have at least one monitoring and / or control unit that can detect the failure of individual radiation sources and / or LEDs. Luminaires and lighting systems according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they have an adjusting device to stabilize the emitted radiation power. Luminaires and lighting systems according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they have a signaling unit which signals the passage of a time interval after the achievement of certain operating conditions. Luminaires and lighting systems according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that they have a monitoring unit that detects application-critical errors or power losses, these signals and / or automatically disables the affected functions of the lights and lighting systems.

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