Piano key effect atmosphere lamp light guide structure

Abstract

The application discloses a piano key effect atmosphere lamp light guide structure, and the light guide is integrally formed based on a double-color injection molding process. The light guide has very good light guide effect, and through the alternating design of the convex and light-transmitting white key protrusions and the non-light-transmitting black key blocking strips, the three-dimensional sense of the thick-wall light guide overall modeling is improved, the appearance effect of black and white piano keys is formed, the overall aesthetic feeling is further improved through the black and white contrast color matching, and the light-transmitting and diffusing patterns in strip shapes are arranged. The light-transmitting and diffusing patterns can efficiently collect light, improve the overall brightness of the light guide, quickly expand light, make the light guide overall lighting effect more uniform, and each two white key protrusions form a group, and one LED lamp bead is arranged for each group of white key protrusions. The light guide lighting brightness can be ensured, the high-brightness bright spot of the white key protrusions can be effectively avoided, the number of the LED lamp beads is reduced by half, the cost is greatly reduced, and the wiring difficulty and manufacturing difficulty of the PCBA are greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive interior lighting technology, specifically to a light guide structure for a piano key effect ambient light. Background Technology

[0002] With cars now commonplace in households, people's expectations for them have moved beyond basic transportation. As people increasingly demand a more technologically advanced and luxurious feel in car interiors, more and more models are incorporating ambient lighting. Among these, linear ambient lighting, often used for dashboard and door ambient lighting, is one of the most widely applied types. Based on the different light emission methods, linear ambient lighting is mainly divided into concealed linear ambient lighting and direct-illumination linear ambient lighting.

[0003] Existing linear ambient lighting, due to its common use of linear light guides, has a very narrow width, typically only 2-5mm. When off, it has no visible design and therefore offers no decorative effect. Furthermore, to reduce costs, lower-spec models of the same car typically do not include ambient lighting. Therefore, either a new mold needs to be created for an interior panel without ambient lighting, or a dedicated decorative piece needs to be installed in the original ambient lighting location to fill the gap. However, this also requires custom molding of the decorative piece, making both methods relatively expensive and neither an ideal solution.

[0004] Therefore, referring to Chinese patents CN217540539U and CN115158156A, the applicant designed a universal structure that can serve as both a decorative strip and a three-dimensional linear ambient light. When used in lower-spec models, it eliminates the need for PCBA and wiring harnesses, allowing direct use as a linear decorative strip. This eliminates the need for new interior panels or decorative parts, significantly reducing costs and simplifying parts management. However, some OEMs have reported to the applicant that existing light guides not only lack a striking appearance and sufficient three-dimensionality, but also offer limited color options and weak contrast when used as decorative elements. Furthermore, each light guide unit has a separate condenser, and each condenser requires a separate LED chip, resulting in a large number of LED chips. This not only leads to high manufacturing costs, but also results in very dense LED chip traces on the PCBA, making PCBA design and manufacturing extremely difficult. Additionally, because the LED chips face the condenser, which is located directly behind the three-dimensional light-emitting groove, the bright spots caused by the LED chips are easily visible to the human eye, resulting in an unsatisfactory optical effect.

[0005] Solving these problems is now a top priority. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a light guide structure for a piano key effect ambient light.

[0007] The technical solution is as follows:

[0008] A piano key effect ambient light guide structure includes a light guide and a PCBA integrating multiple LED beads. The light guide comprises a light-transmitting component and a light-shielding component. The light-transmitting component, made of light-transmitting plastic, and the light-shielding component, made of light-shielding plastic, are integrally formed using a two-color injection molding process. The light-transmitting component includes a light-inlet band and a light-outlet band arranged side-by-side along its width. White key protrusions are formed on the light-outlet band, distributed along its length. The light-shielding component has black key strips distributed along its length. The white key protrusions and black key strips are alternately arranged along the length of the light guide. At least one strip-shaped light-diffusing pattern extending along the length of the light-inlet band is formed on the surface of the light-inlet band near the white key protrusions. The light-emitting surfaces of each LED bead face the strip-shaped light-diffusing pattern. Each pair of adjacent white key protrusions forms a group, and one LED bead is positioned in the middle of each group of white key protrusions.

[0009] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0010] The piano key effect ambient light light guide structure using the above technical solution is integrally molded using a dual-color injection molding process. This not only provides excellent light guiding but also, through the alternating design of raised, translucent white keys and opaque black key strips, enhances the three-dimensionality of the thick-walled light guide, creating a black and white piano key effect with excellent aesthetics. Furthermore, the strong color contrast achieved through the black and white color scheme further enhances the overall beauty. Additionally, by incorporating strip-shaped light-diffusing patterns, the light emitted from the LED beads enters the light-intake zone through these patterns. Since these strip-shaped patterns are long, horizontal structures that run the length of the light-intake zone, they not only... Efficient light collection allows more light to enter the light-inlet zone, improving the overall brightness of the light guide. It also enables rapid light amplification, resulting in a more uniform lighting effect and enhancing the overall lighting efficiency. Furthermore, each pair of white key protrusions forms a group, with each group equipped with one LED. This one-to-two design not only ensures the lighting brightness of the light guide but also effectively prevents bright spots on the white key protrusions since the LEDs are not located behind them, thus improving the lighting efficiency. At the same time, the number of LEDs is reduced by half, significantly lowering costs and reducing the difficulty of PCBA routing and manufacturing. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0012] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the light guide and each LED chip;

[0013] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Sectional view at point AA;

[0014] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an optical guide;

[0015] Figure 5 This is a rendering of the light guide when it is not lit.

[0016] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of an optical guide. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the embodiments and accompanying drawings.

[0018] like Figures 1-6 As shown, a light guide structure for a piano key effect ambient light mainly includes a light guide 1 and a PCBA2. Multiple LED beads 21 are integrated on the PCBA2, and each LED bead 21 is arranged along the length of the PCBA2. Since linear ambient lights often have upward or downward curved shapes, in this embodiment, the PCBA5 is provided with multiple segments, and adjacent PCBA5s are connected by FFC ribbon cables. This not only ensures stable and reliable connection but also occupies little space. At the same time, compared with a single PCBA with a special shape, the solution in this embodiment can effectively reduce costs.

[0019] The light guide 1 includes a light-transmitting element 11 and a light-shielding element 12. The light-transmitting element 11 is made of light-transmitting plastic, and the light-shielding element 12 is made of light-shielding plastic; that is, the light-shielding element 12 is made of opaque plastic. Furthermore, the light-transmitting element 11 and the light-shielding element 12 are integrally molded using a two-color injection molding process, resulting in high structural strength, good reliability, and durability. In this embodiment, the light-transmitting element 11 is preferably made of colorless, fully transparent plastic or light-colored, fully transparent plastic, and the light-shielding element 12 is preferably made of black plastic.

[0020] The light-transmitting element 11 includes a light-entry strip 111 and a light-exit strip 112 arranged side-by-side along its width. The light-shielding element 12 is integrally molded onto the light-exit strip 112 using a two-color injection molding process. White key protrusions 112a are formed on the light-exit strip 112, distributed along its length. Specifically, the white key protrusions 112a all protrude along the thickness direction of the light-exit strip 112. The light-shielding element 12 has black key baffles 121 distributed along its length. The white key protrusions 112a and the black key baffles 121 are alternately arranged along the length of the light guide 1. Therefore, based on the two-color injection molding process, not only is the light-guiding effect guaranteed, but the alternating design of the protruding and translucent white key protrusions 112a and the opaque black key baffles 121 enhances the three-dimensionality of the overall shape of the thick-walled light guide, creating a black and white piano key appearance with excellent aesthetics. Furthermore, the use of a black and white contrasting color scheme further enhances the overall aesthetic appeal.

[0021] Meanwhile, on the side surface of the light-inlet band 111 near the white bond protrusion 112a, at least one strip-shaped light-collecting and diffusing pattern 111a extending along the length direction of the light-inlet band 111 is formed. The light-emitting surface of each LED bead 21 faces the strip-shaped light-collecting and diffusing pattern 111a. Each pair of adjacent white bond protrusions 112a forms a group, and an LED bead 21 is arranged in the middle position of each group of white bond protrusions 112a.

[0022] By setting a strip-shaped light-collecting and diffusing pattern 111a, the light emitted from the LED beads 21 enters the light-incoming strip 111 through the strip-shaped light-collecting and diffusing pattern 111a. Since the strip-shaped light-collecting and diffusing pattern 111a is a long strip structure that runs through the light-incoming strip 111 along its length, it can not only efficiently collect light, allowing more light to enter the light-incoming strip 111 and improving the overall brightness of the light guide 1, but also quickly diffuse the light, making the overall lighting effect of the light guide 1 more uniform and improving the overall lighting effect of the light guide 1. At the same time, Each pair of white key protrusions 112a forms a group, and each group of white key protrusions 112a is equipped with an LED bead 21. This one-to-two design not only ensures the lighting brightness of the light guide 1, but also effectively avoids the appearance of bright spots on the white key protrusions 112a since the LED bead 21 is not located behind each white key protrusion 112a, thus improving the lighting effect. At the same time, the number of LED beads 21 is reduced by half, which significantly reduces the cost and the difficulty of PCBA routing and manufacturing.

[0023] Please see Figures 2-4 The light-shielding component 12 also includes a light-shielding strip 122 extending along the length of the light guide 1. Each black key baffle 121 is connected to the light-shielding strip 122 at one end near the light-inlet strip 111. The light-shielding strip 122 is located between the light-inlet strip 111 and the light-outlet strip 112, which can achieve a better light-shielding effect, avoid light leakage, and improve the overall lighting effect of the light guide 1.

[0024] The black key retainer 121 has a protruding top rib 123 at the end near the light-shielding strip 122. The end face of each top rib 123 away from the light-emitting strip 112 is an ejector support surface 123a. The protrusion height of each top rib 123 is higher than the protrusion height of each white key protrusion 112a. By setting the top ribs 123, the ejector support surface 123a can be used for ejection and demolding. At the same time, the demolding flat top line is designed on the ejector support surface 123a. With the shielding of the lamp housing, all the flat top lines are not visible from the appearance, further enhancing the aesthetic appearance of the ambient light.

[0025] Furthermore, the support surface 123a is covered with a textured or spark-like pattern, which increases friction, better supports the lamp housing, and avoids abnormal noise problems.

[0026] Furthermore, the end face of the white key protrusion 112a away from the light-emitting band 112 is a light-emitting end face 112a1. The end of each light-emitting end face 112a1 near the light-inlet band 111 and the end of each top support surface 123a away from the light-inlet band 111 are all rounded, so that the appearance of the top rib 123 echoes that of the white key protrusion 112a, further enhancing the three-dimensionality and layering of the static appearance of the ambient light.

[0027] The surface of the light-inlet band 111, the light-outlet band 112 away from the white bond protrusion 112a, and each light-emitting end face 112a1 are all covered with a textured or spark-patterned surface, while the sidewalls of the white bond protrusion 112a are all smooth planes. That is, the outer surface of the light-inlet band 111 is covered with a textured or spark-patterned surface, and the entire bottom surface of the light guide 1 is covered with a textured or spark-patterned surface. This design ensures that the light-inlet area (the side of the light-inlet band 111 closest to the white bond protrusion 112a) is covered with a textured or spark-patterned surface for more complete light mixing. The entire bottom surface of the light guide 1 is covered with a textured or spark-patterned surface for two purposes: more complete light mixing and optical patterning, which allows for uniform reflection of light towards the light-outlet area (white bond protrusion 112a). In this embodiment, the textured or spark-patterned surface is preferably of type VDI27. Similarly, the outer end face of the white key protrusion 112a is covered with a textured or sparkly pattern, and the sidewalls of the white key protrusion 112a are all smooth flat surfaces. Specifically, the textured or sparkly pattern on the outer end face of the white key protrusion 112a is preferably of type VDI27, and the smooth flat surfaces of the sidewalls of the white key protrusion 112a are polished to a high-gloss surface. With this design, when the white key protrusion 112a is lit, the brightness of the sidewalls of the white key protrusion 112a will be much lower than that of the outer end face of the white key protrusion 112a. This not only makes the edges and boundaries of the white key protrusion 112a more distinct, but also creates a crystal clear and deep three-dimensional effect on the sidewalls of the white key protrusion 112a, further enhancing the aesthetic appeal.

[0028] Please see Figures 1-4On the side of the light-incoming strip 111 near the white bond protrusion 112a, several support protrusions 111b are formed, distributed along the length of the light-incoming strip 111. Each strip-shaped light-gathering and diffusing pattern 111a passes through each support protrusion 111b, and each support protrusion 111b is located at the junction of each group of white bond protrusions 112a. The PCBA2 is supported on each support protrusion 111b. By setting the support protrusions 111b, a good supporting effect can be provided for the very long PCBA2, preventing the PCBA2 from deforming, thereby ensuring the accuracy of the position of each LED bead 21.

[0029] Furthermore, each of the light-inlet end faces 111b1 of the boss has a protruding PCBA support rib 111b1. Each PCBA support rib 111b1 extends along the width direction of the light-inlet strip 111. The PCBA2 is supported on each PCBA support rib 111b1, which can effectively improve the reliability of the support and avoid loosening and abnormal noise problems.

[0030] Furthermore, at least one of the support bosses 111b has a positioning protrusion 111b2 protruding out, and the PCBA2 has a positioning slot 22 that matches the positioning protrusion 111b2. Each positioning protrusion 111b2 is inserted into the corresponding positioning slot 22, thereby reliably positioning the PCBA2 and ensuring the accuracy of the position of each LED bead 21.

[0031] Please see Figure 2 At least two mounting locking holes 111c are provided along the length of the light-entry strip 111, and each mounting locking hole 111c is located at the end of the corresponding support boss 111b near the light-exit strip 112. Since the spacing between the LED beads 21 is doubled, the mounting locking holes 111c can be conveniently arranged near the support boss 111b, avoiding the influence of the mounting locking holes 111c on the optical effect of the light guide 1.

[0032] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0033] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0034] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0035] Finally, it should be noted that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Those skilled in the art, under the guidance of the present invention, can make various similar representations without departing from the spirit and claims of the present invention, and such modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A light guide structure for a piano key effect ambient light, comprising a light guide (1) and a PCBA (2) integrating multiple LED beads (21), characterized in that: The light guide (1) includes a light-transmitting element (11) and a light-shielding element (12). The light-transmitting element (11) and the light-shielding element (12) are made of light-transmitting plastic material and are integrally formed by a two-color injection molding process. The light-transmitting element (11) includes a light-entry strip (111) and a light-exit strip (112) arranged side by side along its width direction. The light-exit strip (112) has white bond protrusions (112a) distributed along its length direction. The light-shielding element (12) has black bond baffles (121) distributed along its length direction. Each white bond protrusion (112a) and each black bond baffle (121) Alternating along the length of the light guide (1), the light-inlet strip (111) near the white bond protrusion (112a) has at least one strip-shaped light-absorbing and diffusing pattern (111a) extending along the length of the light-inlet strip (111). The light-emitting surface of each LED bead (21) faces the strip-shaped light-absorbing and diffusing pattern (111a). Every two adjacent white bond protrusions (112a) form a group, and one LED bead (21) is arranged in the middle of each group of white bond protrusions (112a). The number of LED beads (21) is half that of the white bond protrusions (112a). The light-shielding component (12) also includes a light-shielding strip (122) extending along the length of the light guide (1). Each black key baffle (121) is connected to the light-shielding strip (122) at one end near the light-inlet strip (111), and the light-shielding strip (122) is located between the light-inlet strip (111) and the light-outlet strip (112). The black key baffle (121) has a protruding top rib (123) at the end near the light-shielding strip (122). The end face of each top rib (123) away from the light-emitting strip (112) is a protruding support surface (123a). The protrusion height of each top rib (123) is higher than the protrusion height of each white key protrusion (112a). The light-gathering strip (111) has a number of support bosses (111b) protruding from the side surface near the white bond protrusion (112a) and distributed along the length of the light-gathering strip (111). Each strip light-gathering and diffusion pattern (111a) passes through each support boss (111b), and each support boss (111b) is located at the junction of each group of white bond protrusions (112a). The PCBA (2) is supported on each support boss (111b).

2. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ejector support surface (123a) is covered with leather texture or spark pattern.

3. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 1, characterized in that: The end face of the white bond protrusion (112a) away from the light-emitting band (112) is a light-emitting end face (112a1), and the end of each light-emitting end face (112a1) near the light-inlet band (111) and the end of each ejection support surface (123a) away from the light-inlet band (111) are all rounded.

4. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 3, characterized in that: The surface of the light-inlet band (111), the light-outlet band (112) away from the white bond protrusion (112a), and each light-emitting end face (112a1) are covered with skin texture or spark pattern, and the sidewalls of the white bond protrusion (112a) are all smooth planes.

5. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 1, characterized in that: Each of the support bosses (111b) has a protruding PCBA support rib (111b1) which extends along the width of the light-inlet strip (111). The PCBA (2) is supported on each PCBA support rib (111b1).

6. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least one of the support bosses (111b) has a positioning protrusion (111b2) protruding out, and the PCBA (2) has a positioning slot (22) adapted to the positioning protrusion (111b2), and each positioning protrusion (111b2) is respectively inserted into the corresponding positioning slot (22).

7. The light guide structure for the piano key effect ambient light according to claim 5, characterized in that: At least two mounting locking holes (111c) are provided along the length of the light-inlet strip (111), and each mounting locking hole (111c) is located at the end of the corresponding support boss (111b) near the light-outlet strip (112).

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