Vehicle Air Vent Light Guide for Pivot-Free Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air vents for vehicles lack effective illumination solutions that do not obstruct the movement of air guiding elements and provide uniform, color-adjustable lighting to enhance occupant experience and air flow direction adjustment.
Innovation Solution
The air vent design incorporates a light guide system with angled sections and mirror surfaces to enable indirect illumination, allowing light to be deflected without restricting the pivot movement of air guiding elements, and features pivotable light guides that adjust with the air guiding elements to provide uniform illumination and color-coded temperature feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a light source is arranged inside or near the air guiding element, then illumination is achieved, but the movement of the air guiding element is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide acts as an intermediary component, transferring light from a light source positioned in the housing to the air guiding element. The light guide includes a light coupling-in region connected to the luminous surface and a light coupling-out region connected to the light source, enabling illumination without direct attachment of the light source to the movable air guiding element.
2Ease of operation
If a light guide is used to illuminate the air guiding element, then the light source can be positioned outside, but light loss occurs during transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The air guiding element is formed as a light guide with a luminous surface that can be illuminated by coupling light from an external light source. The light guide structure, including angled portions with mirror surfaces, enables efficient light transmission and reflection to illuminate the air guiding element without significant energy loss.
3Illumination intensity
If direct illumination is used, then the light source is visible to occupants, but aesthetic appearance is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide serves as an intermediary that redirects light from the light source to illuminate the air guiding element from within, making the light source itself invisible to occupants while still achieving effective illumination of the air vent components.
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 allows for efficient, loss-free light deflection and uniform illumination of the air vent, enhancing occupant experience by providing adjustable lighting that correlates with temperature changes and aiding in locating and operating the air vent in the dark.
Implementation Method 1
a chamfer is formed on an outer side of the angled portion, which chamfer has a mirror surface directed towards an inner side of the angled portion
Implementation Method 2
at least one light guide optically coupled to the light source... allows the illumination of the air vent or of sections thereof, for example an indirect illumination
Data Source
AI summary
An air vent for a vehicle includes a housing and an air guiding element that is pivotable relative to the housing about a pivot axis extending transversely to a direction of flow predetermined by the channel. A light source is arranged outside the air guiding element and a light guide is optically coupled to the light source. A first section of the light guide is guided in the region of the pivot axis from the outside of the air guiding element through a wall thereof to the inside and in this section the light guide extends coaxially to the pivot axis. Outside the air guiding element, a second section of the light guide adjoins the first section of the light guide in the direction of the light source. The first section is angled 90° relative to the second section and a chamfer formed on an outer side of the angled portion has a mirror surface directed towards an inner side of the angled portion.