Ask the new technical Panasonic of home appliances that you want to know, why the Tokyo Sky Tree was lit up with "all LED"

　The 634 -meter -high landmark "Tokyo Sky Tree", which is the world's largest self -supporting radio tower, opened today in Sumida -ku, Tokyo on May 22, 2012.

　Until mid -July, admission is a reservation system, so it is not easy to look down on the scenery of Tokyo from above, but if you are lit up the Sky Tree appearance, you can enjoy it for free from the ground if you go nearby.In the Sky Tree, two patterns of light blue "smart" and purple "elegance" are lit up daily, and "clock lights", where light is turned around the outer periphery of the observation deck every two seconds.There are also interesting gimmicks.

　In fact, all Sky Tree light -ups use Panasonic LED lighting fixtures.According to the company, "all LED" of lighting can save up to 43%of energy compared to conventional light sources.

　However, looking back, it is a recent story that LED lighting has entered our lives.Panasonic decided to use the Sky Tree light -up equipment in March 2010, about two years ago.Only six months after the company launched a home LED bulb in the market in October 2009.No matter how fast it evolves, it is easy to make a large lighting that illuminates a high -rise building over 600 meters in an era when "all LED" was a dream even in home -based indoor lighting.I guess it wasn't.

　Therefore, the Panasonic representative involved in the Sky Tree light -up lighting, the secrets that made the Sky Tree light -up "all LED", and the lighting technology mounted on the Sky Tree, the Panasonic Eco Solutions Lighting Business GroupWe talked to Mr. Osamu Hikone, a counselor of the Development Team.

　The first question was, "Why was the home appliance manufacturer Panasonic selected as a light -up manufacturer?"

　"When the general public hears" Panasonic ", I think the image of a consumer electronics manufacturer is strong. However, at our Panasonic Eco Solutions (formerly Panasonic Electric, Matsushita Electric), office, station, roads, stadiums, etc.We worked on lighting facilities for the entire building, and as part of that, we have been working on it as part of that. As an example of lit up facilities, we light -up of buildings such as Rainbow Bridge, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and Nagoya Television Tower.I had experience. "

　When Sky Tree asks "all LED", many people misunderstand, "Is LED bulb incorporated?"However, in the case of large buildings, the specifications are very different from the lighting of ordinary households in order to develop equipment according to the building.

　Panasonic decided to make a light -up device for Tokyo Sky Tree after a competition.The "Sirius Writing Office" was determined for the entire light -up design, and Panasonic was the job to create equipment that realizes light -ups in line with its design.

　However, at the competition stage, there was no brightly illuminated LED, and the design of the light source was a high -luminance discharge lamp (HID lamp).

　"Due to the trend of the times, the design request has changed so that the latest LEDs will be introduced in the middle of development. If you think about the LED at that time," Is it really possible? "rice field"

　Planning and development have already started, and it has been a change to LED light sources since then.However, the LED at that time was not yet bright.Even in home LED bulbs, all light bundles were about 300lm (lumen), and there were no 810lm products (equivalent to the brightness incandescent bulb 60W) that is currently on sale.How did you respond to a reckless request at that time?

　"The delivery was a few years later, so I made an LED evolution forecast at the construction stage and started in a bet -like state. LED was starting to evolve dramatically, so the LED was bright.If you catch up by the time of delivery, it would be possible to be feasible. In other words, I rely on "industry prediction", but of course it was very different from the normal development plan. "

　One of the ends is news release in March 2010 when Panasonic was adopted by Sky Tree light -up manufacturers.At this stage, although there was a word "aiming for all LEDs", it was not asserted that "all LEDs are made."

　In the end, however, the “All LED” light -up was realized, and today's opening is reached.

　"I was fully assumed that the LED would evolve, and I believed that it could be realized."

　I understand the overall flow until the “all LED” lit up, but what kind of lighting equipment is actually installed in the Sky Tree and illuminates the 634m tower?Before explaining it, let's explain from the structure of the Sky Tree light -up.

　The light -up of the Tokyo Sky Tree is roughly divided into the following six parts, with a total of 1,995 LEDs.

(1) Lighting that illuminates the "gain tower" at the top (2) Rotating the observatory "clock light" (3) Lighting of "gold" color "gold" color (4) Lighting of the fuselage (5) fuselageLighting of "stylish" color that shines in light blue (6) "elegance" lighting that shines the fuselage in purple

　The most difficult part of the development was the Gain Tower.

　The gain tower is the pole at the top, which plays the role of an antenna for broadcasting.The design was determined by the design to make the top 634m shine brightly, as the theme of "smart" and "elegance".It was a job that was imposed on Panasonic to embody this design with LED.

　"The HID lamp (it was originally planned) was the most difficult to illuminate only the tip of the tower in a pin spot."

　However, the birth of one lighting equipment solves the difficult task.

　"I focused on the structure of the parabolic antenna that receives the hygiene broadcast. In the parabolic antenna, the radio waves that fall in parallel are reflected and the radio waves are concentrated on one point.By spreading the light of the strong LED with a parabola -shaped reflector, it can be adjusted so that the light can reach straight. In the end, it achieves a super narrow angle of "2 degrees" and the gain tower.I was able to illuminate "

　By the way, the lights are generally bright near the lighting fixtures, and gradually decreases as they are far away.Does that mean irradiating down from the tip of this gain tower?

　"No, the light is illuminated from the bottom to the top. Actually, 60 LEDs with a parabola curved reflectors are installed in the upside of the Tenbo corridor (450m above ground).I was able to brighten only the tip of the gain tower. "

　By developing this device, we were able to get various benefits.

　"Compared to the conventional ultra -narrow -angle HID floodlight, the brightness is double, the power consumption is 1/8, and the angle is 1/3.The “light pollution” that illuminates the sky is as low as possible. In addition to installing it on the top of the Tenso corridor, the maintenance is improved. ”(Hikone).

　The most eye -catching thing about the light -up of the Tokyo Sky Tree is the Tenbo deck (the first Tenkei, 350m above the ground) and the "Clock Light" that rotates around the two Tenshodai, the Tensho corridor on it.It would be lighting.This light is beautifully sparkling in the night sky while decreasing, as the starter pulls the tail.Also, as the name "clock light" shows, it turns one turn every two seconds.

　Of course, this is not really the light of the light.By turning or erasing the LEDs mounted on the observatory, it looks like it is spinning.

　"The clock light is expressed in which one LED flashes or reduces light, and rotates. The number of LEDs is different between the heavenly deck and the heavenly corridor, but the top and bottom are linked.It is controlled. LED will reach 100%brightness as incomparable to incandescent bulbs, and will reach with a comma microsecond.(Mr. Hikone)

　Nevertheless, since the distance to the control device is different, there is a time difference even if simply controlled.For this reason, Panasonic has designed a control device in anticipation of it from the beginning.

　"The equipment is arranged at an interval of about 1m, but the lighting type and the blinking type are alternately arranged. Instead of simply turning on/off, one unit is controlled and dimmer.I am doing it. Panasonic Electric was able to develop both lighting equipment and control devices only for general electrical manufacturers, so it was realized. "

　Another thing I want to pay attention to in the Sky Tree lighting up is the light -up of the torso that changes every day.Two patterns of light -ups are prepared: the light blue "smart" that imagined the Sumida River and "Ma", which is inherited from the Edo period, "Ma", which is inherited from the traditional purple "Edo purple", which is switched every day.How is this directing?

　"The light -colored lighting is a combination of a 3 -color LED with three LEDs, R (red), G (green), and B (blue), to reproduce the subtle colors.The equipment of the stand is about 10m pitches and shines a wide range of pillars. Until just before the opening, we confirmed the strength and color of the light with the designer from various directions and decided the best one.Mr. Hikone)

　On the other hand, "Ya" illuminates the hem of a triangular tree, and the top direction with the Tenkei deck (1st Tenkei) from the north side of the ground.The Panasonic website states that we have developed a dedicated LED to express the color of Edo purple.

　However, the Sky Tree has an RGB LED for "smart" as described above.If you use this, the purple light should be easy to reproduce.So why did you develop a new LED?The reason is that "elegance" has a wider range of lit up than "smart".

　"In" elegance ", the design is determined by the design that it blows light 100m or more from the base of the tree, so it uses the technology of the floodlight used in the gain tower that applies the parabola reflector.increase.

　However, the parabola reflector cannot fly light far away unless the LED is placed on the focus of the reflector.Therefore, if it is configured with the three LEDs of RGB, the shift will occur from the focus of the reflector, so even if the color can be reproduced, the light will not fly far.On the other hand, if you try to fly light far away without relying on the reflector, you will need a fairly large lens and the equipment will grow. "

　“Change the design of the lighting every day” - The idea of engineers is included in realizing such designers.

　The interesting thing about the light -up of the Sky Tree is that in addition to the "light -up" that emits light upwards, "light down" that sends light downward is performed.The lighting of the "gold" color of the fuselage is it, and the golden light is released from the bottom of the observatory to the fuselage, and the entire Sky Tree is gently wrapped.

　"Generally, the lit up of the building illuminates the upward direction from a place near the ground. Until now, there was no light -up that illuminated downward."

　However, there are many houses around the Tokyo Sky Tree, and when the bright light that illuminates the tower is descended from above to the ground, does it become a "light pollution" for local residents?"Many of the grounds were residential, and it was necessary to control the light as much as possible so that the light does not leak as much as possible. So, I applied a equipment equipped with a parabola curved reflector of the gain tower. Even a light -down method.Even if the light was turned downward, it was possible to develop lighting that did not leak almost light from the premises and did not feel so glare when people looked up. "

　There is something worrisome about "harm".The fact that the 1,995 units of LED equipment are installed does not worry about the noise emitted by the LED or the "insect damage" due to light?

　"Regarding the noise, the exams are repeated and all are designed so that all of them can be stored within the standard value. There is no problem even if you approach nearby. Also, LED lighting does not have ultraviolet rays that insects prefer. Insect's eyes.The Sky Tree shouldn't seem to be lit up

　In addition, the light source is LED, so the life is 40,000 hours, but even if it has a lifespan, it is said that it can be easily replaced safely and safely.

　"All the equipment has a sealed structure. In the unlikely event of a failure or about 40,000 hours, it will be replaced, but even if you open one screw that keeps the equipment sealed, you will accidentally leave the equipment.We adopt a structure that does not fall. "

　It is said that the lighting of the Tokyo Sky Tree developed in this way is simulated on a computer and actually attached to the tree.Did you actually light up and do what was calculated?

　"Actually, it was almost as expected. I worked together with the factory and checked it step by step. As a result, a large number of developers got their hands together. As a developer.I felt joy and excitement

　However, the lighting of the clock light has been changed.In the original plan, we planned to flow one lap in one second, but during the experiment in February this year, the opinion that "it was too early" and "I was stuck" was ultimately raised.I settled down with a pattern of one lap in 2 seconds. "

　Looking back on the difficult development, Hikone seems to be responsive to the cultivation of technology in the process.

　"Even if I think back, I had a hard time developing a gain tower lighting using a parabola curved reflector. However, as a result, technology using reflector that can be applied in the future has been cultivated. This time it turns thin light.I succeeded in flying straight, but I think I can develop something that illuminates the wide surface at once.

　In addition, since we have developed a device that can control RGB finely and freely, it will be easy to express various colors in accordance with the evolution of LEDs in the future.The Tokyo Sky Tree is designed according to the theme color of two colors, "Ik" and "Ya", but the control of the control device also has the power to express other colors. "

　Finally, I asked where to pay attention to the Tokyo Sky Tree lighting up as a developer.

　"If you look up at the tower from nearby, the gold -colored equipment that illuminates the tower under Tenshodai should be glittering. It is a high -output device that emits powerful light, but it is sparkling enough to not feel dazzling.You can enjoy it. The light of the clock light and the light sources of the steel frame are also carefully considered to spread softly as the eyes. You can enjoy the beautifully lit up from anywhere.

　Also, when the clouds are hung on the gain tower, you should see 60 pins spotlights.It shines clearly different from the light of the HID lamp so far.It may be a maniac (laughs), but please enjoy the new shine. "

　The light -up of the Tokyo Sky Tree is not just glowing.The spirit of developers, including Hikone, is also shining in trying to create beautiful things.