Air Diffuser Indirect Lighting Using Reflective Cavity and Light Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air diffusers for motor vehicles often have lighting systems that emit direct light into the passenger compartment, which can be unpleasant, and require complex light guides with specific geometries and high emission intensity to be effective, making them difficult to implement and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
The air diffuser incorporates a light guide housed within an inner cavity defined by a perimeter wall and a reflective surface, which redirects light to illuminate the passenger compartment indirectly, increasing light diffusion and homogeneity without the need for high emission intensity, using a translucent or transparent perimeter wall with optical coupling particles and multiple reflective surfaces to optimize light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light guide is used to illuminate the air diffuser, then the air diffuser can be illuminated, but the light guide becomes complex in geometry and structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light-diffusing function from the light guide structure itself and transfers it to a separate diffuser element positioned at the outlet. This allows the light guide to have a simple cylindrical geometry while the diffuser handles the light distribution, resolving the contradiction between illumination effectiveness and geometric complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a separate diffuser element as an intermediary between the light guide and the external environment. This diffuser acts as a mediator that receives light from the simple cylindrical light guide and distributes it uniformly, eliminating the need for complex light guide geometry while achieving effective illumination
2Illumination intensity
If the light guide outlet is positioned far from the air diffuser outlet, then the lighting can be perceptible by occupants, but high emission intensity is required from the light source
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser element serves as an intermediary that efficiently distributes light over a wider area, allowing the light source to operate at lower intensity while still achieving adequate illumination perceptibility for vehicle occupants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a point-source illumination model to a distributed surface illumination model by using the diffuser. This dimensional change allows light to spread laterally across the diffuser surface, reducing the intensity requirement while maintaining perceptibility
3Illumination intensity
If direct light is emitted into the passenger compartment, then illumination is achieved, but the lighting becomes unpleasant for occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser element acts as an intermediary between the light source and the passenger compartment, transforming direct light into indirect, diffused illumination. This mediator softens the light quality, eliminating the unpleasantness of direct light while maintaining effective illumination
Solution Approach 2:
The diffuser modifies the optical properties of the light by scattering and diffusing it, changing the directional characteristics from concentrated beams to soft, omnidirectional illumination that is more pleasant for occupants
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design provides a homogeneous and indirect lighting solution that is perceptible to vehicle occupants without direct visual contact, reducing the complexity and cost of implementation while enhancing light distribution and reducing the overall volume of the air diffuser.
Implementation Method 1
a reflective surface arranged spaced from the first perimeter wall in a direction opposite to that of the air flow
Implementation Method 2
the outer portion of the first perimeter wall is covered with a light-diffusing material
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Air diffuser for motor vehicles, comprising a casing (C) which defines a passageway for an air flow towards an outlet opening (A), wherein the casing (C) comprises a perimeter frame (M) which delimits the outlet opening (A) and which comprises a first perimeter wall (T), and lighting means which comprise a light guide (G), at least one reflective surface spaced from the first perimeter wall (T) and which defines an inner cavity therewith, wherein t he light guide (G) is housed inside the inner cavity, and the reflective surface is configured and arranged to reflect the light emitted by the light guide (G), redirecting it towards a portion of the casing (C) and/or an adjacent region to it, to be illuminated.