Automotive LED Headlight Beam Shaping via Segmented Modules
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current motor vehicle lighting systems using LEDs struggle to create a high beam that is both efficient and comfortable, with a wide road coverage and adequate light volume near the optical axis, while maintaining a reasonable number of LEDs and avoiding unlit areas.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device comprising two modules with LEDs, each equipped with a lens and a concave mirror, where the lenses generate a wide, rectangular strip of light and the mirrors recover flux to create a complementary beam with a 'rabbit ear' shape, ensuring high intensity and comfortable illumination by merging beams at infinity, with specific parametric equations for the mirrors to optimize light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single LED with lens and reflector is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the beam width and light volume near the optical axis are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The additional headlamp is divided into two separate modules, each containing an LED, lens, and reflector. Each module generates a beam that extends at least ±20% on either side of the optical axis. The two beams merge at infinity to create a combined beam with sufficient width and light volume, resolving the contradiction between using fewer LEDs and achieving adequate beam coverage.
2Manufacturing precision
If the beam is concentrated in a narrow strip, then the manufacturing precision is easier to achieve, but the light volume near the optical axis is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Each module is designed to produce a beam with specific local characteristics: a narrow strip extending wide in the horizontal direction (at least ±20% on either side of the optical axis) with controlled height (approximately 5%). This localized beam shape is optimized for manufacturing while the combination of two such beams provides sufficient overall light volume near the optical axis.
3Illumination intensity
If the cut-off line is raised to create high beam, then the illumination height is improved, but unlit areas may appear in the main beam
Solution Approach 1:
The dipped beam and the additional headlamp beams are merged to create the high beam. The additional headlamp beams are positioned and shaped so that when combined with the raised dipped beam, they fill in any potential unlit areas while maintaining the raised cut-off line for improved illumination height. The low cut-off line of each additional beam is positioned below the dipped beam cut-off line to ensure continuous illumination.
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 provides a high luminous flux with a wide, intense beam that reduces the perception of the cut-off in raised operation, maintaining a significant light volume near the optical axis and avoiding parasitic reflections, achieving efficient and comfortable illumination with a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
at least one lens to generate a beam extending, in width, at least over ± 20% on either side of the optical axis, the beam height being approximately 5%
Implementation Method 2
at least one reflector to recover part of the light flux from the source
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 6~9
Figure 10~11
AI summary
The device has a code headlight producing a light beam with a cut-off, and a complementary headlight (3) combined with the cut-off light beam to produce a route beam when the headlight (3) is ignited. The headlight (3) is constituted by a light source formed by a LED (7), a lens (9) and a mirror (13) that recovers a part of a luminous flux of the source. The lens is non-stigmatic and generates a large beam corresponding to a light band at a low cut-off with a reduced height while the mirror provides light in a central zone, above the band of the lens.