5mm optics?

[Wylie]

I have looked around a little and have not found anything on 5mm LED optics to really speak of. I have found some reflectors and mention of acrylic lenses being used with delrin fittings but no real colminating type optics. This has been an ongoing thing for me for a while now and I have made a couple rough concept prototypes that are very promising at least as far as the human eye can see it.
The whole reason for this madness is that in playing with LEDs I noticed a little light was getting way in directions that it is not utilized. So I said to my self, self there may just be something here I could make just a little bit better. Now that I have gone through with the concept prototypes I am left with the question in mind as to whether it would be worth the efforts to move on with this little project I have been tinkering with.
Would anybody have any feed back for me before I dive into this any deeper?

 

[tonyb]

What are you talking about? A collimating lens for a luxeon or a regular 5mm led?

 

[ufokillerz]

i dont think the cost of optics for a 5mm is cost effective. Not quite sure if any manufacturer will make optics for 5mm's nowadays with luxeons and other companies releasing highwattage leds.

 

[Wim Hertog]

www.conrad-electronic.com has some 5 mm LED reflectors and they also have a very nice reflector with built in lens.

 

[Wylie]

Hey thanks for the feedback.
tonyb,
Yep I am talking about 5mm LEDs and not the high output LEDs.
ufokillerz,
The most expensive part of building what I have planned is the tool up. This would use a three-block mold with really simple machining, eight hydraulic cylinders, hydraulic pump, pretty simple vacuum system and or motorized releasing system for the mold.
With all of the single 5mm LED flashlights and applications out there I think this could have some wings under it. The day might come but as things are now there is no way to get twenty hours out of a 1 watt with a single AA battery and have anything like reasonably useable light output at the same time. Sure I can understand what you are saying about manufacturers and expenses I have been dealing with that for a few years now with my fishing rods but why pass up something that has been a good thing that you can make better.
Wim Hertog,
I have to be honest and tell that I tried to download the pdf files they have on their website and couldn’t really get any information I could use. I have been having this problem for some time now and thought I had fixed it but I guess not. The reflectors with the lenses sound interesting. Would the cupped area of the reflectors be below the die inside the LEDs?

 

[B@rt]

Hi Wylie,
the reflector with lens is from Wustlich Opto-Elektronik , part no. WU-I-5L

Hope this helps,

 

[ab]

Hey Wylie,

It's an interesting idea - but you may have some competition in the market for these. There are several manufacturers already, Wustlich at the higher end, all the way down to OEM overseas suppliers.

In fact I have a surplus of the 5mm reflectors and have been offering them for sale over in B/S/T for a while now:

Superbright LEDs: colours, Nichia S-rank whites, reflectors...

Hope that helps you with some more ideas/info, etc.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A.

 

[tonyb]

I have a Solitaire mod I carry every day that has custom made Acrylic aspheric in front of a 100 deg beam angle white led and it makes one of the tighest beams I have seen yet, it lights dust like a laser! But the problem is the tooling cost, after that the lens is fairly cheap, unless you can find a company that has an off the shelf lens that works. I found a couple of places on the web but non had what I was looking for. I just can't find exactly what I need hence I have to have each lens machined every time I need one for my Solitare mod, very time consuming and expensive, not to mention everthing else that needed to be manufactured for such a one of a kind thing. Thus the delay on production of the solitaire mod, to be honest I lost money on that deal.

 

[Wylie]

Hey that was great help Bart,
It looks as though they have reflecting points far above the die. Funny thing people look at my drawings sometimes and tell me they are bad. I don't see any angles on the walls of the reflectors and what would be the curve on the magnafier they have there? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Considering what I have planned this thing looks like ten gallons of sh** in a five gallon bucket. Thanks again Bart.

 

[Wylie]

Hi ab,
I have seen the listing as I was interested in some 9200's but have other things that are holding me back right now. Do you have any before and after reflector beam shots showing these little guys in action?

tonyb,
With the feedback I got from complaining about the Infinity Ulrta G I bought I don't think a super tight beam will go over very well. By the way I grow fonder of my little G every day.
What I have been doing has a nice narrower area wash with a little larger and maybe a little brighter hot spot. I have been making these things with a dremel tool and tooth paste buffing them out as well as I can but they still are pretty rough in a manner of speaking and a real pain in my a**. If I were taking my personal preference into mind I sure like a super throw and I have had some of the lenses that I have been messing with come out with a real tight sharp beam of light, but if this going to go into production it is going to have to be made for the masses and at thier greatest interests.

 

[ab]

Here's a link to a thread showing the 5mm reflectors in a couple of different lights:

AB 9V mini-clip lights...

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

A.

 

[Wylie]

Thanks ab,
These little guys look like they project the light in a real nice manner except for a couple of halos. The thing I can't help but notice is in the picture I posted below. See the way the reflectors light where they are connected to the LED itself. This is what I am trying use to utilize for more light although my idea doesn’t house around the LED all way to the flange at the base. The reason for this is that I would think what I am working on would be more versatile and be able to be utilized in some flashlights using 5mm LEDs although I am just not sure if I want to continue much further. This is where the money goes out and the sweat starts to roll.

Your 9-volt light you made looks very much like The Pak-Light. Any association? I have been wondering why the Pak-Light doesn’t have any protection for the LEDs myself and I like your design better for that reason. What kind of run time is yours getting?

 

[B@rt]

So if I understand correctly, you want some sort of a reflective cup with just two holes for the LED leads to go through to catch all emitted light? Isn't there a LED out with a reflective bottom? I seem to remember reading about such a critter... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

 

[The_LED_Museum]

Omron is making some LEDs with the term "DR" which stands for "Double Reflection" I think, these are a bit bigger than the typical T1 3/4 (5mm) parts. The dice look the same as other LEDs, but the die cups are larger around than those in "regular" LEDs, and function like flashlight reflectors to help direct more light forward.

I don't know if these are made in white or other phosphored colors though. I only have 2 units in blue, and haven't tested them extensively yet, nor do I have any "regular" Omron LEDs to compare them with.

 

[Wylie]

LED MUSEUM,
Your urinal busting html has tears in my eyes man, that is funny. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yellowlaugh.gif
Oh yeah I have seen the Omron LEDs but not in person. I couldn't find any white LEDs when I looked at their website and figure the 8.5 mm diameter almost defeats the purpose.
Taking this into mind I think I am going to bail on this pipe dream. Looking at the money involved and all the garbage is just too much to deal with really when you think that my optics are going to be somewhere in the area of 10mm in diameter.
TAP was interested in seing what I am doing and may just finish my drawings and send them off to see what they think. The big problem with that is nobody wants to sign non-use non-disclosure paperwork and that is about as far as lot of my ideas get anymore.
I guess I am back to the lighted skateboard decks again. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

B@rt,
That would probably be the best way to go for something OEM but I was looking at a little more versitile application in the way of retros for existing products. Looks like another pipe dream anyway.