Asymmetric Diffusor Lighting Element for Uniform Grill Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting elements for automotive applications, particularly for front grills, face challenges in achieving a compact design while maintaining a uniform luminance appearance due to limited building space and the spatial requirements of Lambertian emitters like LEDs.
Innovation Solution
A compact lighting element design featuring a mixing box with a backwall and sidewalls, combined with a diffusor connected to the mixing box. The diffusor, with a complex shaped back face and a flat front face, uses scatterers to diffuse and homogenize light from the Lambertian emitting LEDs, achieving uniform luminance and accommodating asymmetrical light distribution to enhance perceived homogeneity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a Lambertian emitter (LED) is used to provide light emission, then light emission is achieved, but the spatial extend required is too large for compact lighting element design
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a three-dimensional spatial extend requirement to a two-dimensional surface configuration by placing multiple LED chips on a common mounting surface within a compact housing, eliminating the need for deep spatial extension while maintaining light emission capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple LED chips into a single integrated lighting element with a common housing and mounting structure, consolidating what would traditionally require separate components and spatial extend into one compact unit
2Volume of moving object
If a compact design is used to reduce building space, then the volume is reduced, but the uniform luminance appearance cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a diffusor with spatially varying optical properties - the refractive index and thickness are locally adjusted across different regions to control light extraction and distribution, creating uniform luminance appearance despite the compact overall size
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a diffusor as an intermediary component between the LED chips and the external environment, which mediates the light output to achieve uniform luminance appearance while allowing the compact housing design
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
The solution enables a compact lighting element with a uniform luminance appearance, suitable for automotive front grills, while maintaining a small building height, thus overcoming the spatial limitations and achieving aesthetically pleasing and functional illumination.
Implementation Method 1
the diffusor comprises a transparent matrix such as transparent silicone and a scatterer such as scattering particles. In particular, the scattering particles are made from TiO x . By the scatterers, light of the at least one light emitting element is diffused and homogenized over the complete front face of the diffusor
Data Source
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AI summary
Lighting element (10) in particular for an automobile, comprising a mixing box (12) comprising a backwall (22) and sidewalls (24) extending from the backwall (22), at least one light emitting element (18), extending through an opening of the backwall (22), and a diffusor (14) connected to the mixing box (12) opposite to the backwall (22) and having a front face facing away from the backwall (22) and an opposite back face facing in the direction of the backwall (22), wherein the diffusor (14) receives light from the at least one light emitting element (18) via its back face and emits light via its front face, wherein the back face of the diffusor (14) extends towards the backwall (22) of the mixing box, wherein the extension of the back face is asymmetrical along at least one lateral direction and the back face is distant of the backwall (22).