LED Projector
Background
Made for an independent customer, this lighting system is my first design in regards to consumer electronics. The purpose of this lighting system is to project a circle that can be adjusted (by adjusting the focal distance of the main lens) to allow customers to install their own recessed pot/can lights in their own homes. Allowing people to install their own recessed can lights keeps the costs away from hiring a professional (which can get expensive). This design utilizes a generic, cost effective 7 RGB LED circuit board, some lenses and glass, and a stabilizer to project a stable image onto a ceiling.
The Challenge
I wanted to make a projection system that could be used in DIY construction or home projects. This projection system would simply project a circle that would allow for installation of recessed lighting systems.
My Role
In this project, I worked with a customer, who wanted to specifically design a product for this challenge. I did all of the design, and all of the renderings. I had to determine what was feasible for the project, in a way that would satisfy the customer.
Process:
This design was overall a fairly simple design. I first started off sourcing parts for this actual build. The best LED generator that I could find happened to work out perfectly. It has a micro USB power port, 7 LEDs and a remote that works with the circuit board to change colors, and brightness. After I picked out the correct circuit board, I had to simply design the externals around the size of the circuit board. This also involved removing the micro USB port from the actual circuit board, and re-wiring it to fit inside of the case. I picked a circular shape, as there are a lot of magnifying glass lenses that are round, and would work for the application of this project. I then proceeded to consider the distances between the lenses, which would allow an image to be focused, dependent on ceiling height. I considered ceilings from 7’ to 12’. At first I considered making a mechanism that would allow the light to be focused dependent upon distance, however the budget for the project was not permitting. With this, I kept the focal distance at about 7’. If a customer wants to project an image on a higher ceiling, they can simply prop the unit on a chair, or maybe a stack of books. The final challenge was to actually make a base that would be able to stabilize the base of the product. This was completed with a design that I came up with in order to simplify storage (would have been difficult with a tripod). This mechanism that I created has a simple twisting base. This base then has pathways etched in the bottom for the four “leaf” reverse-aperture mechanism. This mechanism can easily be twisted with the hand to allow the four “leaves” to unfold. The leaves then provide stability for the whole part.
Final Outcomes
This project is still a work in progress, however the conceptual design is finished. The original customer is currently sourcing materials, so there is a chance that this design could be seen in the real world. I learned a lot from this project about design for electronics. It is interesting designing the exterior around the internals, which is opposed to many companies who would do the opposite.
Rendering of the exploded component
Animation detailing all moving components