JP2013089291A - Optical lens, optical module, optical system, and lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical lens capable of reducing weight as compared with a conventional one and moreover suppressing and narrowing spread of light even in a faraway place.SOLUTION: The optical lens 2 includes an incident surface 3 comprising a recess having an apex C on an optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 and into which light from a light source 1 enters, and an emission surface 4 for emitting to the outside the light from the incident surface 3. The incident surface 3 refracts the light incident into the incident surface 3 to the outside against the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2, and the emission surface 4, when the direction of the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 is in a perpendicular direction, refracts the light from the incident surface 3 to a horizontal direction further more.

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical lens, an optical module, an optical system, and a lamp.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an LED illumination device (spotlight) disclosed in Patent Document 1. In FIG.

  The LED illumination device (spotlight) shown in FIG. 1 includes an LED element 110 as an LED light source, a lens 115 as an optical system, and the like. Here, the lens 115 has a reflection surface 115a, an emission surface 115b, and an LED surrounding surface 115c, and the LED surrounding surface 115c is an incident surface on which light emitted from the LED element 110 is incident, It has a cylindrical shape so as to surround the LED element 110.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining optical characteristics of the LED illumination device (spotlight). In the spotlight in which the LED element 110 and the lens 115 are arranged as described above, most of the light emitted from the LED element 110 is incident on the LED surrounding surface 115c, and among these, the first surface 121 close to the optical axis. The incident light is refracted at the boundary surface, transmitted through the lens 115, refracted and emitted from the exit surface 115b, and follows the optical path R0. Of the light emitted from the LED element 110, the light incident on the second surface 122 far from the optical axis is refracted at the boundary surface, transmitted through the lens 115, and totally reflected by the reflecting surface 115a to be emitted. The light is refracted and emitted from the surface 115b to follow the optical path R2.

JP 2005-129354 A

  As can be seen from the optical paths R0 and R2 of FIG. 2, the LED illumination device (spotlight) of Patent Document 1 includes a first surface 121 (near the optical axis) near the optical axis among the light emitted from the LED element 110. Even if the light incident on the surface follows the optical path R0 and the range is set to be 30 ° or less, there is a problem that the light spreads as it goes farther.

  Further, the LED illumination device (spotlight) of Patent Document 1 has a problem that the lens 115 is thick and the lens 115 is heavy.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an optical lens, an optical module, an optical system, and a lamp that can reduce the weight of the lens as compared with the conventional lens and can suppress the spread of light even at a distance. Yes.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is constituted by a concave portion having an apex on the optical axis of the optical lens, a light incident surface on which light from a light source is incident, and a light incident from the light incident surface. A light exit surface for emitting light to the outside, wherein the light entrance surface refracts light incident on the light entrance surface in an outward direction with respect to an optical axis of the optical lens, and the light exit surface includes the optical surface. When the direction of the optical axis of the lens is the vertical direction, the light from the light incident surface is refracted in a further horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the optical lens). It is an optical lens.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a light source that emits light and the optical lens according to the first aspect are provided, the optical axis of the light source and the optical axis of the optical lens are aligned, and the optical lens is inserted. An optical module characterized in that light from the light source is incident on an optical surface.

  The invention described in claim 3 includes an optical module according to claim 2, and a reflector (reflecting surface) or a total reflection lens that controls light emitted from the optical module. System.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a lamp characterized by using the optical system according to the third aspect.

  According to the first to fourth aspects of the present invention, the light input surface is configured by the concave portion having the apex on the optical axis of the optical lens, and the light from the light source is incident on the light input surface. A light exit surface that emits light to the outside, the light entrance surface refracts light incident on the light entrance surface in an outward direction with respect to the optical axis of the optical lens, and the light exit surface An optical lens configured to refract light from the light incident surface in a further horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the optical lens) when the direction of the optical axis is a vertical direction. The light emitted from this optical lens is controlled by a reflector surface (reflective surface) or a total reflection lens, so that the weight can be reduced compared to the conventional one, and the light spreads even at a distance. It can be kept small.

It is a figure which shows the LED illuminating device (spotlight) shown by patent document 1. FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the optical characteristic of the LED illuminating device (spotlight) of FIG. It is a figure (sectional drawing) which shows one structural example of the optical module of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the directional characteristic of the optical lens of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the optical system using the optical module of this invention. It is a figure which shows the optical path of the light from the optical module in the optical system of FIG. It is a figure which shows an example of the directivity characteristic of the light from a reflector (reflection surface). It is a figure which shows the other example of the optical system using the optical module of this invention. It is a figure which shows the optical path of the light from the optical module in the optical system of FIG. It is a figure which shows the modification of the light-incidence surface of an optical lens. It is a figure which shows the modification of the light emission surface of an optical lens.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram (cross-sectional view) showing a configuration example of the optical module of the present invention.

  Referring to FIG. 3, the optical module 10 includes a light source 1 that emits light and an optical lens 2. In FIG. 3, X is the optical axis of the light source 1, X1 is the optical axis of the optical lens 2, and in this optical module 10, the optical axis X of the light source 1 and the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 coincide. I am letting.

  Here, as the light source 1, for example, a light emitting diode (LED) having Lambertian directivity can be used.

  The optical lens 2 includes a concave portion having a vertex C on the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2, and a light incident surface 3 on which light from the light source 1 is incident, and light from the light incident surface 3 is externally transmitted. The light incident surface 3 refracts the light incident on the light incident surface 3 in the outward direction with respect to the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2, and the light exit surface 4 When the direction of the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 is the vertical direction, the light from the light incident surface 3 is refracted in a further horizontal direction (a direction perpendicular to the optical axis X1 direction of the optical lens 2). It is like that. The light incident surface 3 and the light exit surface 4 are, for example, rotating bodies with respect to the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2.

  More specifically, in the example of FIG. 3, the light incident surface 3 is configured by, for example, a conical recess having an apex C, and the angle θ formed with the optical axis X <b> 1 of the light incident surface 3 depends on the light from the light source 1. On the other hand, the angle is less than the critical angle (for example, about 2 ° to 30 °). The smaller the angle θ formed with the optical axis X1 of the light incident surface 3, the larger the refraction angle with respect to the light from the light source 1, and the larger the angle θ formed with the optical axis X1 of the light incident surface 3, the light source 1 Since the refraction angle with respect to the light from the light source 1 becomes smaller, the angle θ formed with the optical axis X1 of the light incident surface 3 is larger than the size of the light emitting surface of the light source 1 (if the light source 1 is a surface light source, It is determined by the balance with a small light source.

  The distance from the light source 1 (light emitting surface) to the vertex C of the light incident surface 3 is set to be farther as the size of the light emitting surface of the light source 1 is larger (when the light source 1 is a surface light source). It is set closer as the size of the light emitting surface is smaller (when the light source 1 is a point light source).

  In addition, the light exit surface 4 has an angle α formed by a straight line L connecting the point A and the point B and the optical axis X1 of the light incident surface 3 in FIG. 3 between 45 ° and less than a critical angle (for example, 85 °) (that is, 85 °). As the angle α is larger, the light from the light incident surface 3 has a larger refraction angle, and the light from the light incident surface 3 is more horizontally oriented (a direction perpendicular to the optical axis X1 direction of the optical lens 2). However, since the angle α is totally reflected when the angle α exceeds the critical angle, the angle α is set to an optimum angle that refracts all the light from the light incident surface 3). Is a curved surface (for example, a rotating body) of a circular arc having a predetermined radius R passing through.

  In the optical module 10 having such a configuration, the light refracted by the light exit surface 4 through the light incident surface 3 is not lost before the optical module 10 (optical lens 2) without being lost, as indicated by an optical path R1 in FIG. In the direction opposite to the light source 1), and there is no light going to the middle, and the light is controlled to be divided radially to the left and right. In other words, the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 is used as the rotation axis, and the light is controlled to a rotationally shaped light in which the light in the middle part is eliminated (the light in the middle part is divided in the left-right direction).

  FIG. 4 shows a directivity characteristic in which light from the light source 1 having a Lambertian directivity characteristic is divided in the left-right direction through the optical lens 2 through the middle portion (angle -30 ° to 30 °). Has been.

  As described above, the optical module 10 according to the present invention changes the light from the light source 1 into the directivity characteristics such that the center portion is removed and divided in the left-right direction by the optical lens 2. When the light emitted from the module 10 is controlled by a reflector (reflecting surface) or a total reflection lens, the middle portion of the light emitted from the optical lens 2 is missing, so that the portion of the optical path R0 in the prior art (see FIG. 2) It becomes possible to suppress the spread of light even in the distance.

  Further, in the optical module 10 of the present invention, since the size of the optical lens 2 can be reduced, the weight of the optical lens can be reduced compared to the conventional one.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of an optical system using the optical module 10 of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the optical system includes an optical module 10 and a reflector (reflective surface) 11 that controls light emitted from the optical module 10.

  In the optical system of FIG. 5, as shown in FIG. 6, the light from the optical module 10 (light in the optical path R <b> 1 having a directional characteristic spread through in the left and right direction through the middle portion) is reflected by a reflector (reflecting surface) 11. By reflecting toward the front (in the direction opposite to the side where the light source 1 is provided) and condensing in the direction of the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 (in the example of FIG. 6, in the example of the optical lens 2). By making the light parallel to the optical axis X 1), it is possible to suppress the spread of light even in the distance. FIG. 7 shows an example of the directivity characteristic of light from the reflector (reflecting surface) 11. From FIG. 7, the light from the optical module 10 is substantially parallel to the optical axis X 1 by the reflector (reflecting surface) 11. You can see that it can be light.

  Further, in the optical system of FIG. 5, the size of the optical lens 2 can be reduced, and the reflector (reflecting surface) 11 can be thinned, so that the weight can be reduced.

  In the optical system of FIG. 5, the reflector (reflecting surface) 11 may also serve as a housing (housing), and if this is made by, for example, aluminum die casting, it can also be a heat radiating member such as a heat sink. Thus, the reflector (reflective surface) 11 can also serve as a heat radiating member such as a housing (housing) or a heat sink. In this case, the number of parts can be reduced and the assembling performance can be improved.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of an optical system using the optical module 10 of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 8, the optical system includes an optical module 10 and a total reflection lens 12 that is provided around the optical module 10 (optical lens 2) and controls light emitted from the optical module 10. Yes.

  In the optical system of FIG. 8, as shown in FIG. 9, the light from the optical module 10 (the light having a directional characteristic spread through the left and right direction through the middle portion) is directed forward by the total reflection lens 12 ( By reflecting in the direction opposite to the side where the light source 1 is provided and converging in the direction of the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 (in the example of FIG. 9, the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2) By making the light parallel, the spread of the light can be suppressed even in the distance.

  In each of the above-described examples, the light incident surface 3 of the optical lens 2 is configured by, for example, a conical recess having a vertex C as shown in FIG. As long as it provides the directivity characteristics as described above, it is not limited to the conical shape, and for example, it can be constituted by a concave portion having a cross-sectional shape as shown in FIGS. Further, the light exit surface 4 of the optical lens 2 is not limited to the shape shown in FIG. 3 as long as the middle part is removed and the directivity characteristic as divided in the left-right direction is provided. For example, FIG. , (B) as shown in the cross-sectional shape.

  Further, in each of the above-described examples, the light incident surface 3 and the light exit surface 4 of the optical lens 2 have a rotating body shape with the optical axis X1 of the optical lens 2 as a rotation axis. 3. The light exit surface 4 may be polygonal (for example, octagonal shape).

  In addition, a lamp (for example, a spotlight) can be configured using the optical system described above. In this case, the spread of the spot can be suppressed, and the weight of the lamp can be reduced.

  The present invention can be used for general illumination such as spotlight illumination, beamlight illumination, and light-up illumination.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Light source 2 Optical lens 3 Light entrance surface 4 Light exit surface 10 Optical module 11 Reflector (reflection surface)
12 Total reflection lens

Claims (4)

The light incident surface is configured by a concave portion having an apex on the optical axis of the optical lens, and has a light incident surface on which light from a light source is incident and a light output surface that emits light from the light incident surface to the outside. The surface refracts light incident on the light incident surface in an outward direction with respect to the optical axis of the optical lens, and the light output surface has the light incident direction when the direction of the optical axis of the optical lens is a vertical direction. An optical lens characterized in that the light from the surface is further refracted in the horizontal direction (direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction of the optical lens). A light source that emits light and the optical lens according to claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the light source is aligned with the optical axis of the optical lens, and light from the light source is incident on a light incident surface of the optical lens. An optical module characterized in that the optical module is adapted to be An optical system comprising: the optical module according to claim 2; and a reflector (reflecting surface) or a total reflection lens that controls light emitted from the optical module. A lamp, wherein the optical system according to claim 3 is used.

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